We feel like we at least need to get kids back to some form of normalcy back into their lives … And if we see a spike or outbreak start and we feel it's detrimental, then we'll make that hard decision, most likely to go to Plan C.”, What Durham Public Schools Are Planning For Fall. DPI suggests options such as staggering recess in small groups, eating meals in classrooms and not having large in-person school assemblies. Sports reinforce interpersonal relationships and social ties. Also, depending on how schools must screen students before entering, a screening process could take hours if schools are near capacity. Mr. Eric Davis, Chair, State Board of Education, Ms. Susan Gale Perry, Chief Deputy Secretary, NC Department of Health and Human Services, Mr. Tabari Wallace, Principal, West Craven High School, Mr. Matt Wight, Principal, Apex Friendship High School. There will be a higher expectation of accountability for both the teachers and students with attendance, as well.”, What Parents Can Do To Help One Another Through A Remote-Only Fall. ", More reopening coverage: Awaiting Gov. “We're not saying this is set in stone. North Carolina’s 1.5 million public school students could split their time next fall going to school on some days and learning from home the rest of the time to try to maintain social distancing. operational guidance for how schools will reopen for the 2020-21 school year, released health guidance for reopening schools. And it's hugely important. accounts, the history behind an article. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Sign up for the FREE Chatham Chatlist Listserv! Any plan must focus on social-distancing protocols, monitoring students and staff, protecting high-risk populations, and educating students and staff about risks. The guidance says the symptom checks for boarding the bus can be skipped if a child’s parent says the student is OK. State board member Olivia Oxendine said educators need to be mindful of how different things will be for students when schools reopen. Homeschooling in NC had momentum before pandemic. Copyright © 2020 Chatham Journal Newspaper. Cooper's guidelines, NC school districts plan fall reopenings He notes, however, that learning pods will only work for families with some extent of privilege, as it would require at least one parent’s ability to work from home all week and to hire outside help, if necessary, to supplement instruction. Though most North Carolina public schools have announced a remote-only start for the upcoming school year, some districts are planning to implement hybrid models. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Its school district, Iredell-Statesville, is planning for kindergarten through eighth grade students to attend school in person on an alternating day schedule. You have permission to edit this article. An alternative school schedule could place an unreasonable burden on working parents, Stoops said. They were excited about the smaller groups.”, Iredell-Statesville Superintendent Jeff James notes that their Plan B will only remain in progress as long as it is safe. Since 1986, the Public School Forum of North Carolina has been an indispensable and nonpartisan champion of better schools and the most trusted source in the state for research and analysis on vital education issues. Anna Pogarcic is an EdNC reporting fellow and the incoming editor-in-chief of The Daily Tar Heel. “As more and more metrics come in, if there happened to be a significant spike in the county, I'm sure the board and I would sit down again and look at the data and, you know, possibly come up with a different decision,” he says. Private schools account for 14 of the 26 active K-12 COVID-19 school clusters in North Carolina. So I think schedules are really well balanced so that our students will be able to meet the academic needs, as well as the social and emotional needs.”, What Wake County Public Schools Are Planning For Fall. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Are you still being affected by COVID-19 financially and having trouble with your bills? And Thad Domina is a sociologist and a professor in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education. Schools aren’t built for social distancing, said Terry Stoops, vice president of research and director of education studies at the John Locke Foundation. ▪ In option E, teachers video stream all day for live remote learning. Reach him at bgordon@citizentimes.com or on Twitter @briansamuel92. Be Truthful. Iredell County has a relatively low rate of positive COVID-19 cases, with 1,661 total reported cases and 16 reported deaths. The plan is the state's Plan B, Cooper said. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. In June, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended K-12 policies should, “start with a goal of having students physically present in school.” This AAP statement, often cited by supporters of more aggressive reopenings, mentioned in-person instruction can help alleviate social isolation, learning gaps, and depression among children. “We can have both.”. Date: Sat, 7 Nov 2020 14:52:14 -0500From: SueSubjec.... #ChathamNC County must be a healthy place to live. Lt. Gov. that is degrading to another person. CDC to the rescue, Who was that masked man? Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, NC schools to reopen this fall with students splitting time between the classroom and remote learning, Gov. Gov. And before I could even make that reaction, my kids were like: Yes, I am excited! The state Department of Public Instruction followed it up at Thursday’s state board meeting with a guidebook, which they say will continue to be updated, for how public schools would use the health guidance. With every district choosing its own instructional plan this fall, EdNC and Public Impact teamed up once again to track how schools are responding to the pandemic this school year. Face coverings will be required for every teacher, staff member and student from kindergarten through high school. If statewide COVID-19 metrics stabilize and improve, schools would reopen under Plan A with “minimal social distancing” and all students would be on campus at the same time. Jeff James is the superintendent of Iredell-Statesville Schools. photo by Taylor Wilcox. Please either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin. Cooper says the state will be providing at least five reusable face covering for every student, teacher and staff member. How NC Public Schools Are Preparing For Fall ... from home at the start of the 2020-21 school year. DHHS initially only strongly recommended face coverings in schools. “Unfortunately, educators and parents have been presented with a false dichotomy: the public schools we love, or our safety,” said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE president. ... See MoreSee Less, Mr. Gastwaite's 115 year old voter #ChathamNCchathamchatlist.com/2020/11/23/mr-gastwaites-115-year-old-voter/ ... See MoreSee Less, In chatlist #6839, Raymond Gastwaite wrote about a voter who was born in 1905 according to the voter information data and then asked: > Does this give you confidence in the integrity of our recent elections? He said there’s not enough details on how the metrics will be used. “In my talks with the State Board of Education, and this will really come down to what [N.C. Department of Health and Human Services] says to the governor, there will be no extra-curricular activities, there will be no sports, there will be no band, there will be no eating in the cafeteria and the schools will be at half capacity by sending the kids two days a week, kids will be on an AB (staggered) Schedule,” Truitt said. Roy Cooper will decide by July 1 which plan level should be used by schools. Meanwhile, school districts adopting a Plan B model continue to field safety concerns from faculty and families alike. Schools must limit the total number of people in the building to ensure that six feet of distancing is possible. DPI suggests various options that school districts and charter schools could use under Plan B to change scheduling, including: ▪ In option A, split the students up so some are on campus all the time and others are taking classes at home all the time. Share with Us. For example, New Hanover County Schools would divide students into three groups, with one week of in-person instruction followed by two weeks of online learning. “Some may argue that canceling athletics is a small price to pay for safety,” Stoops said. Wednesday is designated a remote day for all and deep cleaning day, as well as Friday after school.”, She says, at least for her own children who are both students at Lake Norman Elementary: “When the decision was made, our kids looked to us for that reaction.